Saint Germain of Paris
According to the hagiography written by his friend Venantius Fortunatus, Saint Germain of Paris (c. 496-576) risked not being born because of his mother's attempt to abort him. Originally from Autun, in Burgundy, he studied under a priest who was his cousin....
Saint Augustine of Canterbury
St. Augustine of Canterbury (534-604) was prior of the monastery of St. Andrew al Celio in Rome, when Pope Gregory the Great entrusted him with the mission of re-evangelizing the ancient Britannia. This land, in fact, after the invasion of the Saxons (5th-6th century) had become mainly pagan again.
Saint Philip Neri
“You wouldn’t want them to say that Philip is a saint, would you?” Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595) once replied to those who encouraged him to be a little more serious. Thanks to the mix of his proverbial humour and his charity, he won many souls over to God.
Saint Gregory VII
In that troubled period of the 11th century for Christianity, an extraordinary figure emerged: Saint Gregory VII (c. 1015-1085), whose name is linked to the “Gregorian Reform”. It was so called because Gregory was the greatest representative and supporter of the vast reformatory work already begun by his predecessors.
Mary Help of Christians
It was Saint John Bosco who famously did most to propagate devotion to Our Lady with the title of Mary Help of Christians. However, the direct reference to the help given by Mary to her children was already widespread in Greek-speaking Christianity in the early centuries...
Saint John Baptist de' Rossi
Although the fear of epileptic fits had kept him away from the confessional for a long time, Saint John Baptist de' Rossi (1698-1764) became popular because of the extraordinary length of time he dedicated to the sacrament of Confession.
Saint Rita of Cascia
Ascension of the Lord
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up at the sky? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
Saint Bernardine of Siena
“The name of Jesus is the glory of preachers, because the shining splendour of that name causes his word to be proclaimed and heard. And how do you think such an immense, sudden and dazzling light of faith came into the world, if not because Jesus was preached?” So said in one of his famous speeches Bernardine of Siena (8 September 1380 - 20 May 1444), the Franciscan saint and tireless preacher who propagated devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus.
Saint Celestine V
Before the incredible succession of events that led to his election as pontiff when he was already 85 years old, Saint Celestine V (c. 1209-1296), born Pietro Angelerio, known as Pietro da Morrone, had consecrated his existence to God by living for most of his life as a hermit.
Saint John I
Pope John I died for love of Christ and the Church, his death caused by the harsh privations he suffered in prison. The personal ordeal of St. John I (†526) took place near the end of the life of the Ostrogoth king Theodoric, a follower of the Arian heresy.
Saint Paschal Baylón
The Spanish mystic Saint Paschal Baylón (1540-1592) was called the “Seraph of the Eucharist” because of the angelic devotion with which he approached and spoke of the real presence of Christ in the consecrated Host.
